1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club grip, more particularly to a golf club grip made from close-celled foam with anti-slip skin to result in lighter weight, adequate rigidity and resilience, sufficient shock absorbing property, and ease of installation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a golf club 1 typically includes a club head 11, a club shaft 13 extending from the club head 11 and having a butt end 132 opposite to the club head 11, and grip 12 disposed over a gripping portion proximate to the butt end 132 of the shaft 13. The grip 12 is the only direct link between the golf club 1 and a golfer. Golf swing has been described as a violent movement. A golfer may exert enough force on the golf club 1 to enable the club head 11 to travel fast at impact. It is thus imperative that each grip 12 fit the individual golfer. That is, each grip 12 must have the proper thickness for the particular golfer. The thickness of the grip 12 can not only affect the way a golfer holds the golf club 1, but can also affect the golf swing and shot pattern of the golf ball.
The total weight of the golf club 1 is the sum of the weights of its component parts, i.e., the club head 11, the club shaft 13, and the grip 12. The swing weight is the weight the golfer feels in relation to the head weight of the club as he swings the golf club 1. Swing weight is generally defined as the weight distribution between the club head 11 of the golf club 1 and the butt end 132 of the golf club 1 about a fixed fulcrum point. All the weight toward the grip end from the fulcrum point is considered to bexe2x80x9cgrip weightxe2x80x9d. All the weight toward the club head 11 of the golf club from the fulcrum point isxe2x80x9chead weight.xe2x80x9dThe more head weight there is relative to the grip weight results in a higher swing weight. Conversely, the less head weight there is relative to the grip weight results in a lower swing weight. Any change in head weight or grip weight, and any change in the component parts of the golf club 1 can alter the swing weight of the golf club 1. If all other components of the golf club 1 are kept constant, a heavier grip will result in more weight in the butt end 132 of the golf club 1 relative to the club head 11, and therefore a decreased swing weight. Conversely, a lighter grip will result in more weight in the club head end 11 of the golf club 1 relative to the butt end 132, and therefore an increased swing weight. Golfers may find it highly advantageous to use light weight grips 12 to increase swing weight, thus creating more club head feel 11, while decreasing the total weight of the golf club 1. A lighter golf club 1 allows the golfer to swing the golf club 1 faster.
It is known that the shock generated by impact between the golf club 1 and a golf ball can adversely affect muscle tissue and arm joints. It is thus important that the grip 12 has a sufficient shock absorbing property to minimize injury to the golfer.
Moreover, because the golf swing is a violent movement, it is also essential that the grip 12 have enough traction to prevent the golfer""s hands from slipping during the swing.
When it is necessary to replace the original grip, such replacement is difficult and cannot be accomplished by the average golfer. For example, to install a prior art slip-on type golf club grip, the installation steps generally includes applying a double tact tape to the golf shaft, then applying grip solvent to both the tape and inside the tubular grip to make it slick, and then sliding the grip into place. Proper installation of a modern grip requires the considerations of the golf club shaft butt size, the model grip core size, and the amount of tape used. During the replacement operation, the old grip and underlying old tape must be completely removed because any remnants of the old grip or the old tape may result in irregularities in the new grip that can be felt by the golfer and that may result in an adverse affect on the performance of the golfer. Therefore, grip installation is often a difficult, tedious and time-consuming process. Many golfers thus choose the more expensive route and have their grips professionally installed by leaving their golf clubs at a golf shop for several days when conducting grip replacement.
Referring to FIG. 2, for prior art easy installation, a strip-type golf club grip 2 has been disclosed. The grip 2 includes a strip 21 woundspirally about the golf club shaft 13 between the butt end 132 and a guide cylinder 22 on the shaft 13, and a cap 23 affixed to the butt end 132 to prevent the strip 21 from unraveling. The strip 21 has side edges 210 disposed in close abutment with each other.
The followings are some of the prior arts disclosing various strip-type golf club grips, of which:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,721,741 to Prendergast discloses a golf grip that has a xe2x80x9ccylindrical cap portion with a key slot adapted to fit over the end of the shaftxe2x80x9d, and an integral strip portion. Prendergast suggest that the user or grip installer must make a slot on the tip of the shaft where the grip goes so that his invention may be locked into place. The inside of his grip cap has a xe2x80x9ckeyxe2x80x9d that must be positioned into the slot made on the shaft. Its inferiors are: First it need tool to cut a slot at the end of the shaft, causing the difficulties in process. Secondly after winding the strip around the shaft, then pull the strip to position the cap onto the end of the shaft, it makes the regripping process harder for individual golfer to do it by themselves. These disadvantages are against its original easy installation object.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,109 to Gaiser discloses a golf club grip made of an open-cell plastic foam tape that is spirally wound about a golf club shaft, with an open edge seam between adjacent wraps. An adhesive tape is attached to the edge of the reticulated foam tape and spirally wound about the shaft and overlies the open edge seam and adjacent edge of the foam tape, thereby resulting in a gripping surface of interspaced spiral wraps of the foam tape and the adhesive tape. However, the use of the open-celled structure for the foam tape makes the grip very soft and prevents the grip from providing firm support.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,816,933 and 5,813,921 to Huang disclose a composite strip made of an open pored fabric as base material (such as felt layer) and a closed pored polyurethane synthetic leather as outer layer to form variant kinds of golf grips. Basically, this kind of grip includes a strip spirally wrapped around the shaft, and a cap telescopically installed on the end of the shaft to prevent unraveling. In other words, this type of grip needs two processes for installation. There is a weak part between the cap and the strip, because the cap is separately installed on the end of the shaft not integral with the strip, tending to unravel after certain time of using. Moreover, the strip is too thin, soft and flat. The thickness of the strip is hardly over 2.5 mm, only fit to the bigger size shaft (0.790xe2x80x3xcx9c0.865xe2x80x3). Due to its strip base material, open pores fabric (felt layer), which is not rigid enough, the grip cannot provide enough support when strike like conventional golf rubber or TPR grip. This kind of grip can also be installed by spirally wrapping the strip around a resilient tube, then the shaft is slipped into the underlisting tube (as in U.S. Pat. 5,813,921 to increase the grip thickness). Because the strip is wrapped around the tube, the tube is bound and stretching thereof is limited, there by making the tube hard to open for inserting the shaft. This drawback is adverse to its original easy installation object.
It is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight golf grip with correct or standard thickness that can decrease grip weight and increase swing weight, thereby allowing higher club head speed.
Another object of this invention is to provide a golf grip which is elastomerically rigid enough so as to absorb shock with firm support at impact when the golf club strikes a golf ball.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a golf club grip with an outer anti-slip skin to prevent the golf club from twisting or slipping in a golfer, hands.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a golf club grip of one-piece construction having a cap and a coiled strip connected integrally to the cap for easy installation.
A further object of this invention is to provide a strip-type golf club grip with a reinforcing member to prevent the strip from unraveling.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a golf club which comprises a shaft with a grip mounting portion, a tubular foam body mounted on the grip mounting portion, and an anti-slip rubbery skin. The foam body is formed from a closed-cell foam material, and includes a capped end, an open end opposite to the capped end, and an outer surface extending between the capped end and the open end. The anti-slip rubbery skin extends around and covers at least a portion of the outer surface of the tubular foam body.